A building collapse in Delhi's Satya Niketan area that claimed seven lives has sent shockwaves across the nation, sparking renewed conversations about the living conditions in paying guest (PG) accommodations for students in the national capital. Amid the tragedy, a father who lost his son on Sunday has made an emotional appeal to fellow parents on Tuesday, urging them not to send their children to Delhi to pursue their studies.
The father of Arpit Jaj, a resident of Madhya Pradesh's Dewas, who was among the people who died in the collapse, made this appeal with folded hands as he bid a final farewell to his son, reported news agency PTI.
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Deep Dive
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Why did the father of the victim urge parents not to send their children to study in Delhi?
How is the Supreme Court addressing illegal constructions related to student housing in Delhi following the building collapse?
Bhupendra Jaj, who runs a car taxi business in Dewas, told reporters, "I just want to tell all parents not to send their children to Delhi to study in the future. I am devastated. I was educating him despite facing many difficulties."
He said that one of Arpit's eyes was damaged in the accident and the family decided to donate his other eye to help a needy patient.
Arpit was a second-year BCom student at a Delhi college. His funeral procession was attended by his family, friends, teachers, and neighbours.
{{/usCountry}}Arpit was a second-year BCom student at a Delhi college. His funeral procession was attended by his family, friends, teachers, and neighbours.
{{/usCountry}}Also Read | Satya Niketan building owner Hariram Bansal, wife in judicial custody, FIR blames ‘illegal’ construction
Difficulties in searching for his son
The distraught father also reportedly claimed that he faced many difficulties in searching for his son after the PG accommodation building collapsed.
"We searched for Arpit from the collapsed building to hospitals, but no one was willing to tell us anything. Finally, with the help of a lawyer, we identified his body," he said.
Raising demands for a thorough investigation into the building collapse, Bhupendra Jaj urged strict action against those responsible.
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Delhi PG collapse
The decades-old building housing a boys' PG accommodation collapsed on Sunday afternoon, killing seven people and leaving several others injured.
Following the incident, police arrested the building owner, 81-year-old Hariram, his 75-year-old wife Urmila, and their 52-year-old son Mahesh.
Furthermore, a labour contractor was apprehended from Uttar Pradesh's Kasganj in connection with the collapse.
Delhi CMO, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), informed that on the instructions of chief minister Rekha Gupta, MCD was directed to demolish the dilapidated building adjoining the accident site in the interest of public safety.
(with inputs from PTI)